Automatic signal-lantern for use on railways and steam and sailing vessels



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. F. WATSON.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL LANTERN FOR USE ON RAIL-WAYS AND STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS.

No. 349,828. Patented Sept. 28, 1886.

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N. PETERS. Phommhngnpmr. wamngwn, \1C4 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I. WATSON.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL LANTBRN' FOR USI'. 0N RAILWAYS AND STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS.

No. 849,828. Patented Spt. 28, 1888.

WITNESSES INVENTOR W23 By his Mme-Us fran/ Watson., Ggf/0 N. PETERS. Pnmumnqgmpher. waihingmn. n. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK VATSON, OF SCARSDALE, NEV YORK.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL-LANTERN FOR USE 0N lAILWAYS AND STEAM AND SAILING VESSELS.

SPECTIICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,828, dated September 28, 1886.

(No model.)

To all whom, z't may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK XVA'rsoN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Scarsdale, in the county of XVestchester and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Form of Automatic Signal-Lantern for Use upon Railroads, and Steam and Sailing Vessels, &c., of which the following is a speciication.

My invention relates to that class of signallanterns which are used upon railway-trains or vessels, and which indicate whether the train or vessel upon which they are displayed is moving forward or backward or is standing still; and the object of my invention is to provide a lantern which is capable of performing this function automatically or with the least possible hand-regulation, and yet be at the same time of simple and cheap construction. T accomplish this ohicctbymeans of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in whichy Figure l is a front View of the lantern; Fig. 2, a vertical central section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. S, a rear view of the lantern, and Figs. et and 5, respectively, front and sideviews of the lantern attached to the plat-form of a railroad-car and driven automatically by one of the axles.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the various views, where indicated, L is alamp, candle, or other light-diffusing body, which will vary in size with the amount of light which the lantern is designed to give. It may be supported within the lantern in any convenient manner. In practice it will be found preferable to use an oil-lamp supported in a socket'in the bent axis a, as shown in Fig. 2, upon which a portion of the mechanism of the lantern revolves. The axis a may be of any suitable material and of convenient dimensions, and may be supported in any suitable or convenient manner. In practice, however, it will be found preferable to use vertical hangers h 71 as shown 1n F1gs. 2 and 3, attached to its extremities and to the outside case or shell of the lantern in any convenient manner. In front of the lamp, at any Couven. ient distance therefrom, is placed a stationary circular disk or target, d. This disk ortarget is composed of two semicircular panes of red and white or other glass of two distinct colors, with a vertical division-line between the two, as shown in Fig. 3, and is supported by a collar on the axis a., which passes through its center. The exterior frame of the target may be made of any material that will be sufliciently strong to hold the target when the frame is made as light as'possihlein order not to retard the light.

C is a hollow cylindrical frame, of brass or other suitable metal, which is arranged to rotate about the axis a outside of the periphery of the target d and the lamp L, being supported upon the radial arms S.

I) is a semicireular disk, of metal or other opaque material, which is arranged to rotate at its center around the axis'a in front of the target d. Attached to the face of the disk b is the ilat spring e, which serves as a handle for moving the same and projects slightly beyond the periphery of the disk, as shown. This spring is slightly bent atits extremity, so as to engage with a series of rectangular notches, c e', upon the forward edge of the cyl inder or cylindrical frame C. By rotating the disk I until the spring c falls into any one of notches e e the disk b may be made to rotate with the cylinder C. By drawing the extremity of the spring e forward the disk b may be rotated independently of the cylinder C. The cylinder C may be rotated by any convenient form of mechanism, according to circumstances, and for this purpose is provided on its periphery at any convenient point with a series of cogs, g g, as shown, which mesh into a cogwheel. in the driving mechanism. If desired, the cylinder O may be replaced by a wheel carrying the cogs uponits periphery, and provided with a series of notches onits front face; but the cylindrical frame shown in the views will be found preferable by reason of affording additional strength.

In case the lantern be used upon the caboose of a freight-train or upon a vessel, where it would naturally be used at a fixed point, it will be found preferable to supply the driving` force toit from any rotating shaft-such as the axle of the car or the shaft of the vessel upon which it is displayed. If it desired to use the lantern as a portable one, especially upon pas- IOO senger-trains, it will be found more convenient to rotate the cylinder C by means of a train of clock-work impelled by a spring.

The views on Ilate 1 show the portable hand-lantern form. In this form it is necessary to make the lautern open at both ends', and provide it with a second glass disk or target, d', and a duplicate signal-disk, b', as there shown, in order that when the motion of the ro train, vessel, Sac., uponwhich the lantern is in all cases to make use of a reflector.

The entire mechanism is inclosed in a `case or box, f, of sheet-iron or other suitable metal, provided with an opening, o, in its base for the purpose of placing it and turning it on a stationary pin, p, driven into the surface, upon which the lantern is designed to stand.

The letters IV WV, Figs. l and 2, indicate the disposition of the clock work, which is placed in the lower part of the case f, as shown, and is arranged to rotate the cylinder@ at the `rate of from three to six revolutions per minute. The driving-spring is contained in the cylinder K, and is wound from the outside of the case by means of a key fitting over the pin 7c. The axis w of the upper cog wheel, which engages with the cogs upon the periphery of the cylinder C, is arranged to slide slightly in its bearings, so that by sliding it the cylinder maybe detached at any time from the revolving train of clock-work.

Vhen the'lantern is attached to a railwaytrain or steam-vessel, its form is slightly modied, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Here the lamp, axis, vand cylinder are hung or supported upon vertical brackets h h', and only such portion of the lantern is covered as is necessary to protect the driving mechanism.

mis a frame of wrought-iron or other suitable material, which is attached to the truck ofthe car @and arranged to carry a gear-train,

W, containing a number of wheels sufficient to reduce the speed of the rotating car-axle to such a degree that the number of revolutions of the driving cylinder C will not exceed three to six per minute, as before. rlhe number of wheels in the gear-train W will vary with the initial speed4 of the axle a. A cog- 6o wheel, a', is provided upon the axle n for iming been connected. the cylinder, and `with ity Athe signaldisk,will commence to revolve in front of the light and the glass target d, from right to left, the red field upon the right increasing in size as the white field upon the left diminishes, and when one-half rotation is completed the colors will diminish in reverse order. In case the body upon which the lamp is displayed stops, the disk b is immediatel y released by hand` from the rotating-cylinder C, and in the case of a hand-lantern the'.

cylinder from the clock-work, and the disk I) rotated on itsaxis so as to completely coverv the white field of the disk d, andcxpose only the red field. In the case of a reversal of the motion'with the portable form of lamp, it is only necessary to turn the lamp completely around and set the disk b in the same mauner as the Vdisk b was set at the beginning and connect the clock-work. The cylinder and disk will then rotate from left to right, and the direction in which the latter moves over the red and white field will be the reverse of what it was before. made self-reversing by attaching it to any reversible motive power, it will be unnecessary to tiiru the lautern in order to obtain a reversal of the direction -in which the disk b travels, and the duplicate disks d and b will be dispensed with, and the back of the lantern made tight.

I claim as myinvention-' v 1. In an automatic signal-lantern, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the `light of a stationary target composed of plates of different-colored glass, of an opaque disk covering one-half of said target rotating upon a central axis in front of said target while the body upon which ythe lamp is displayed is moving, and means, substantially as described, for releasing the disk from thc axis and rotatingit independently-of the motive force thereon.

2. In an automatic signal-lantern, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore set target composed of plates of different-colored glass placed in front of said light, of a cylinder surrounding said light and target rotating upon a central axis, means for rotating said cylinder, substantially as described, an opaque senricirculardisk covering onehalf of said target and rotating upon the same axis as said cylinder, and means for causing said disk to rotate with or independent of the cylinder.

When the lantern is forth, with the light of a stationary circular 3. In an automatic signal-lantern, the coml bination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a rotating hollow cylindersurrounding the light aud the signal-target, a central axis upon which said cylinder rotates, a semicircular opaque disk covering one-halt' of said target rotating upon said axis within said cylinder, a series of notches in the front face ot' said cylinder, and atlat spring or arm on said disk,arranged to engage with said notches, for the purposes set forth.

4. In an automatic signal-lantern, the conlbination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the light, of a stationary circular target composed of plates ot' different-colored glass placed in front of the light, a cylinder surrounding said target and light rotating upon a central axis, a semicireular disk rotating in front of said target and upon the same axis as said cylinder` a series et' notches upon the front face of said cylinder, a iiat spring or arm upon the face of said disk,arranged to engage with said notches and cause the same to rotate with said cylinder', a series of cogs upon the periphery of said cylinder, a train of clockwork engaging therewith for communicating a rotating motion to said cylinder, and means for disengaging the same, substantially as dcscribed.

5. In an automatic signal-lantern,the combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the lamp, of two stationary circular targets composed of plates ot' different-colored glass placed on either side of thelight, a cylinder surrounding said targets and light rotating upon a central axis, asemicircular disk rotating in front of each ot` said targets upon the same axis as the cylinder, a series of notches upon each end of said cylinder, a flat spring or arm upon the face of each, said disks arranged to engage with said notches an d cause the disks to rotate with the cylinder, a series of cogs upon the periphery of said cylinder, a train of clockwork engaging therewith for communicating a rotary motion to said cylinder, and means for disengaging the clock; work therefrom, substantially as described.

6. In an automatic signal-lantern, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the light, of a stationary circular target composed of plates ot' different-colored glass placed in front ol' the light, an opaque disk rotating upon a fixed axis while the body upon which it is displayed is in motion, a train of gear-wheels connected with a revolving shaft for imparting a rotary motion to said disk, and means, substantially as described, l'or releasing said disk from the rotary mechanism and rotatingit independently upon the axis.

7. In au automatic signal-lantern, the co1nbination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the light, of the stationary circular target composed of plates of different-colored glass, a cylinder rotating around said light and target, a central axis upon which. said cylinder revolves, a semieireular disk rotating on said axis within said cylinder and iu front Of said target, a series ot' notches on the front surface of said cylinder, and a fiat spring attached to the surface ot' said disk, arranged to engage with said-notches, whereby the disk is caused to rotate with said cylinder, a set of cog-wheels 0u the periphery ot' said cylinder, a driving axis or shaft on the body on which the lamp is displayed, and a train of gear-wheels engaging with said axis or shaft and with said cylinder, whereby the movement otthe former is i1nparted to the latter.

In testimony whereof l. have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day ot' January, A. D. 1881.

FRANK VATSON.

\Vitnesses:

CARRIE M. WATsON, ROBERT GORDON BUTLER. 

